Galoren

high fantasy realm of wonder and adventure!

erudan

bordered by Dahl to the north, this country of rolling plains, flat grassland, and dry steppes is home to the nomadic tribes who loosely consider themselves one nation. The history of this nomadic people traces back to a time when the lost empire in Dahl attempted to conquer this area of the world, and found that it could not support the numbers of people that were sent in with the army to conquer and settle the land. the soil is not rich enough to support crops for more than a single harvest before needing to be replenished, and the water, while not exactly scarce, dries up quickly if over-utilized.

The empire, its people beginning to starve for food and water, left the impractical forts and stone castles to return home to the rich land and lush forests of Dahl. However, some in the expedition were enamored of the open sky and rolling hills, and decided to stay, vowing never to make the mistake of attempting to settle the land of Erudan. The majority of those who stayed behind were human and elven, their thirst for freedom finally quenched by an open and free land.

Today, wagon ruts criss-cross the nation, as often coagulating into roads as dispersing toward separate destinies.

Culture:
Erudan is a nation of nomads and wanderers. The wagon trains that cross the land are covered in extremely bright, lively, and distinctive tapestries, acting as a kind of heraldry of sorts, and certainly having it’s roots in dahlian heraldic traditions. These flags are extremely important as they mark out individual bands and families. For a people as fiercely independent as the Erudan, this is their way of standing on their own. When the wagon trains go their separate ways, the heraldry marks each as a unique and individual family.

The wagon trains themselves are receiving upgrades as of late, huge steam powered engines from mechagon, built of ketsu wood and iron banding have been seen pulling some of the more prominent wagons through the plains.

Upon each wagon is a roost, for the nomadic people of Erudan often range across the continent on huge winged beasts. Lupine in form with huge wingspans of brilliant white feathers melded with wolf fur and talon-ed hind claws, these majestic plains predators act as mounts, protectors and companions to the erudan, and it is through a rite of passage at the age of 13 that a young nomad is bound to his or her Gyron. Often known as “Wolf Gryphons” by outsiders, the gryon are an essential part of daily life in the plains.

Adventurers in the grips of wanderlust, the people of the plains of erudan latch on to any new idea that gives them an edge in their wild frontier. So it is that the simple hunting spears used by their ancestors are changing and shifting forms. Called Spark lancets, they employ a variety of methods to achieve a similar result; lightning discharges from the weapon upon a successful strike. Many do this by binding spell trigger item runes into the haft of the spear, each lightning attack using up one charge from the wand equivalent. Others use artifice and engineering to attach tiny conductors to the haft of the spear, wiring them to build up charge in the course of swinging the weapon until the metal of the spear slams into the opponent, acting as a conduit for the built up electricity.

Even stranger still are the experimental black powder spark lancets that nestle a musket or other form of rifle among the whirring gears and crackling electricity. These double trigger devices fire a shot from the barrel, then arc lightning flies out of the spear tips towards the target, using the small metal bullet as a lode stone to attract the bolt of energy.

And in the plains of erudan, every single spark lancet is customized. Inlaid with ornate paneling, plates of lovingly crafted brass and copper adorn the base of the weapons, and silver and gold filigree along the shaft are not uncommon. Personal runes and heraldry are often etched into the metal of the spear blade, and all manner of strange and unusual customizations adorn the weapons, personalizing them for the unique grip of their highly individualistic owner.

Government:

Although the term “government” scarcely applies to the clan focused and insular people of the plains of erduan, there is nonetheless a place to resolve disputes and feuds fairly. at The Hub, the place where all the wagon trails meet, sits the watcher. Chosen from among the eldest and wisest of the clan members across all of erudan, the watcher arbitrates disputes and acts as a spiritual guide to the entire nation. Being the watcher is a lifetime appointment, and when the current watcher dies, the next is elected to take his place.

From his vantage point at the center of erudan, he uses divination magic to keep tabs on all the families of erudan, gently guiding and suggesting when the good of the entire nation must be put before clan and family ties.